All UFC Thread

[underdog140]

I disagree but see where you are coming from. Imo .. Conor vs Aldo 2 gets Conor paid. It will be marketed as champ vs champ... this type of fights usually do good numbers. Conor vs Edgar does also.

Aldo could always move up and challenge Conor at 155lbs.

Also disagree about the 145lb belt meaning little if Conor just drops it. It's not like he cleaned out the division. He never even defended the title. There are still unanswered questions at 145lbs for him. To me it just seems like a guy that moved on from his old division to another one due to what it takes to make the weight limit.

I think the cut for him is just horrific and he only wants to do it if he has to. And the only way he has to is if he can't win that 155lb belt. He rather put himself through torture and cut to 145lbs to be callled champion then be just another guy ( rankings wise ) at 155lbs.

Edit:

Did anyone else find Conor looked a little out of place .. like he was sick at the press conference ?
Also Dana said, Conor has some personal issues he will address after this fight and that he will let Conor say what those are.

 

[underdog140]

It's good to see the media pick up on this and write articles about it.


Why the UFC's special treatment of Conor McGregor is absurd - USA TODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-new-york-lightweight-eddie-alvarez/91163838/

The UFC seems desperate to give him the opportunity to be a two-weight champion but seems to have forgotten such accolades only mean something if they are not created by smoke and mirrors.

 

[OzExorcist]

Yeah it's hardly ever happened (I can't think of an instance other than Cruz and Barao?) but if Conor were to drop or be stripped of the title, I expect they'd declare Aldo the official title holder since he's already got that interim belt.

Also disagree about the 145lb belt meaning little if Conor just drops it. It's not like he cleaned out the division. He never even defended the title. There are still unanswered questions at 145lbs for him. To me it just seems like a guy that moved on from his old division to another one due to what it takes to make the weight limit.

100% see where you're coming from, and that might even be the way it should be seen, but I think we all know how that story will play out: Aldo will have the belt, but it'll be "the belt that Conor never lost in the cage" and that 13-second knockout will continue to hang over Aldo's head. Exactly the same as the loss to Jones and Jones never losing his belt in the cage hangs over Daniel Cormier.

Now like I said, 100% see where you're coming from. Jones had been a dominant champion for several years when that situation played out, whereas McGregor had only just won the belt.

I don't really know if there's that many unanswered questions for McGregor at 145 when you think about it though: "could he beat Frankie Edgar" and "was the Aldo KO just a fluke" are the only two that come to my mind.

Remember he's already comfortably beaten Max Holloway, and Dustin Poirier (who's since moved to 155 anyway). He beat Chad Mendes, who's suspended now anyway. Nobody else is really in the title picture at the moment at 145, and even if they were I don't think there's much question what McGregor would do to someone like Ricardo Lamas or Cub Swanson, or even Anthony Pettis.

 

[OzExorcist]

Edit: Word is going around that Aldo contacted a lawyer to look through his contract. Maby he isn't bluffing.

I don't blame him one bit. He only lost 1 fight in 10 years and was a long reigning champion. How do they repay him, He has to sit and watch the guy that beat him go on his third fight out of the 145lb division while still getting to be called the 145lb champion. While Aldo sits with the interim belt waiting on his rematch. Which he should have got right away. The man was the long time reigning champion and no-one else comes close to his accomplishments at 145lbs. He is getting shafted. And lets not forget while Aldo was the 145lb champion he wanted to move up and fight in the 155lb division and Dana told him he had to drop the 145lb belt. All that is enough to piss anyone off and make them feel shafted.

Yeah, Dede Pederneiras is saying they're going to lawyer up to try and get him out of his contract: http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/9/2...eiras-jose-aldo-willing-to-fight-ufc-in-court

In other news, Dede is much better at training MMA fighters than he is at judging law or public relations matters

"I think Dana and the new owners have to understand that there’s a completely unsatisfied employee who doesn’t want to continue," Pederneiras said. "If that was in Brazil and a guy said ‘boss, I want to leave,’ I’d say ‘Ok, I can’t hold you.’

"...And the damage a dissatisfied person, someone like Aldo, talking sh*t to everyone about a lot of things, I think the company wouldn’t want a guy like this every day in the media talking trash."​

First of all, this isn't just a matter of him saying "I want to leave" and the UFC letting him - what the UFC will be worried about is him going straight to the competition and signing with Bellator or WSOF.

"But he doesn't want to do that - he said so! He just wants to get out of this contract and do something else!" Yeah... I'm no lawyer, and I certainly haven't ever seen a copy of Aldo's contract, but I'm pretty certain that if actually wants to retire from fighting, he doesn't need to be released from his contract. Plenty of fighters retire with bouts still on their contracts, to the best of my knowledge the UFC has never stopped them - the understanding, however, is that they can't then unretire and go work for another promotion.

Second, I think Dede is massively, MASSIVELY overestimating how much "damage a dissatisfied person, someone like Aldo" talking to the media will do. The MMA blogs will report it, sure, but it's nothing they haven't reported a hundred times before from Frankie Edgar or Alexander Gustafsson or TJ Dillashaw or any number of other fighters. Nobody's really going to care, and it's not going to change anything.

According to the story he's apparently still got six fights left on his contract. Ouch...

 

[WVHillbilly]

Yeah, his contract doesn't stop him from retiring but it does stop him from fighting elsewhere. If he really just wants to retire he can do it anytime.

 

[Rincewind]

Also disagree about the 145lb belt meaning little if Conor just drops it. It's not like he cleaned out the division. He never even defended the title. There are still unanswered questions at 145lbs for him. To me it just seems like a guy that moved on from his old division to another one due to what it takes to make the weight limit.

It will mean little from the point of view that he will remain lineal champ as long as he is active in the sport. No matter who holds the belt if he vacated, there will always be a question surrounding their position as champion. You've got to beat the champ to be the champ is the old saying in boxing. And with very few exceptions it's generally true.

Also Dana said, Conor has some personal issues he will address after this fight and that he will let Conor say what those are.

I did hear something from a guy I train with who also trains in SBGi. If it's the same thing, and it probably is , then it's not even news really. At least not anything that should affect him as a fighter.

 

[Rincewind]

It's good to see the media pick up on this and write articles about it.


Why the UFC's special treatment of Conor McGregor is absurd - USA TODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-new-york-lightweight-eddie-alvarez/91163838/

Don't think I've ever seen that guy Rogers write a positive word about McGregor.

I know you say "the media" above, but let's be real here. There is only a very small portion of the press saying things like this . The vast majority of the credible mma media see McGregor's treatment by the UFC exactly for what it is. The number one biggest draw in the history of the sport being awarded certain privileges in accordance with the amount of money he is earning for the organisation. It's nothing new, it just hasn't been seen on this scale before.

 

[Rincewind]

First of all, this isn't just a matter of him saying "I want to leave" and the UFC letting him - what the UFC will be worried about is him going straight to the competition and signing with Bellator or WSOF.

"But he doesn't want to do that - he said so! He just wants to get out of this contract and do something else!" Yeah... I'm no lawyer, and I certainly haven't ever seen a copy of Aldo's contract, but I'm pretty certain that if actually wants to retire from fighting, he doesn't need to be released from his contract. Plenty of fighters retire with bouts still on their contracts, to the best of my knowledge the UFC has never stopped them - the understanding, however, is that they can't then unretire and go work for another promotion.

This is all bang on. With regard to contracts, as far as I am aware most contracts for athletes have to have an expiration date. But the date itself could be 20 years away, effectively tying an athlete/fighter to the contract for their entire careers unless the other party release them from it.

The organisation cannot, for ethical reasons as well as legal, force a fighter to fight so yes they can retire any time they want, no matter how many fights are left on the contract, but the contract itself remains in place until the aforementioned expiration date.

 

[underdog140]

Regarding Conor challenges at 145lbs...

Your right about Aldo and Edgar being the two unanswered questions. But they are big unanswered questions. A quick KO like that, while impressive, still leaves allot unanswered. It wouldn't be the first time someone won via quick KO and the rematch was something entirely different. Which is why allot want to see the rematch. And to a smaller extent vs Chad Mendes with a full champ.

Regarding the belt meaning little..

I think the big difference here is there will be a group that sees it the way you do and a group that sees it the way I do as apposed to the majority of people seeing it one way like what is happening with Cormier.

Regarding Aldo and his contract...

He for certain is going to jump to another org if he gets released. Like already mentioned in this thread. If he wants to retire and not fight. Then he can do that without lawyers and making such a big fuss. Wanderlei Silva, who apparently is ambassador for Rizen, made a video and invited him to fight for them.

Regarding articles and smoke and mirrors...

I don't pay much attention to who writes what but I am happy there is at least something out there. I am sure there are more but the positive ones, no doubt, out number the negative. I assume that the most frequent posters in this thread are members of an MMA forum so you will know that at least a good percentage of the hardcore fans agree / have the same thoughts as the article.

 

[underdog140]

Conan , Tom Brady, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Mark Wahlberg Own Part of the UFC.

I think this is brilliant on the new owners part. UFC now has all these big names attached to it. Free advertising.

 

[Rincewind]

I did hear something from a guy I train with who also trains in SBGi. If it's the same thing, and it probably is , then it's not even news really. At least not anything that should affect him as a fighter.

Phew, in the last 24 hours I have heard some crazy shit about Conor's big news and all from some very credible sources, not too far removed from Conor himself or people on his team!!

Rumor mill has gone into complete overdrive here in ireland!!! Its insane, some of the things people are saying, nothing can be believed!

 

[underdog140]

Care to elaborate on some of those rumors ?

Most are assuming the personal issue is a bad thing... could be something good.

His own tv show is rumored. The new owners are expanding Fight Pass to include more than just fights so this is a front runner imo.

Fight with Floyd is going down. With the new owners, I say this is more of a possibility than it was before.

Got a woman pregnant ...

Are among some of the ones I been hearing.

 

[Rincewind]

Care to elaborate on some of those rumors ?

I honestly wouldn't even waste your time or my own. I've heard so many varying stories in the last day and a half, its not even funny. Everything from very serious health issues to co-hosting a new primetime talk-show in the USA.

For the most part I wouldn't even comment on the rumors surrounding his personal life and relationships as I don't believe that side of an athlete's life is of any significance to fans.

 

[underdog140]

I honestly wouldn't even waste your time or my own. I've heard so many varying stories in the last day and a half, its not even funny. Everything from very serious health issues to co-hosting a new primetime talk-show in the USA.

For the most part I wouldn't even comment on the rumors surrounding his personal life and relationships as I don't believe that side of an athlete's life is of any significance to fans.

100% agree about personal life. But once you become a star your life will become an open book. Very few stars can have a private personal life. At least not in the way that you and I enjoy ours.

Announcement is either 1. Dana full of shit and nothing of significance 2. Promotional ( TV / Movie Deal Conor will be in ) 3. Big fight announcement if he wins ( G.S.P. ?? ) 4. Retirement.

 

[Rincewind]

100% agree about personal life. But once you become a star your life will become an open book. Very few stars can have a private personal life. At least not in the way that you and I enjoy ours.

Announcement is either 1. Dana full of shit and nothing of significance 2. Promotional ( TV / Movie Deal Conor will be in ) 3. Big fight announcement if he wins ( G.S.P. ?? ) 4. Retirement.

The whole celebrity thing that elite athletes have to deal with is part and parcel of their job in this day and age. Those that bemoan it, tend to forget that its their celebrity rather than their skill or achievements that get them the endorsements and the big money contracts.

With regards to the announcement itself, if there will even be one, I would be fairly confident in saying that its of a personal nature and its not bad news. I wouldn't like to speculate on it any more than that. But I also believe we wont see him fighting again after 205 for another 6 months at least even if he emerges from the Alvarez fight totally unscathed.

 

[Rincewind]

Some pretty good match ups on the Lineker/Dodson undercard tonight.

Would love to see Lineker do the business in the main event but I think Dodson will just be too elusive for him in the earlier rounds.

One sided decision won for Dodson I think.

 

[Rincewind]

Well done John Lineker!!

Title shot next for him, or is it a Dillashaw/Cruz rematch first with a Lineker/Carraway eliminator possibly?

Not forgetting Cody Garbrandt of course. BW division is looking interesting again!!

 

[Rincewind]

Well done John Lineker!!

Title shot next for him, or is it a Dillashaw/Cruz rematch first with a Lineker/Carraway eliminator possibly?

Not forgetting Cody Garbrandt of course. BW division is looking interesting again!!

Also worth nothing, a certain Mr D Johnson might fancy a move up after his nest defence.

 

[Sil3ntness]

Well done John Lineker!!

Title shot next for him, or is it a Dillashaw/Cruz rematch first with a Lineker/Carraway eliminator possibly?

Not forgetting Cody Garbrandt of course. BW division is looking interesting again!!

John Lineker needs to get his weight under control before being gifted a title shot. I didn't get to see the Lineker fight (I was in a casino), but I heard it was really close. I'd like to see Lineker actually make 135 before getting a shot.

It would be terrible if he gets a title shot and shows up at 136+ again. I'd prefer to see Cody garbrandt get a shot over Lineker.

Cody made a twitter post saying he finishes people and make weight haha.

 

[Rincewind]

John Lineker needs to get his weight under control before being gifted a title shot. I didn't get to see the Lineker fight (I was in a casino), but I heard it was really close. I'd like to see Lineker actually make 135 before getting a shot.

It would be terrible if he gets a title shot and shows up at 136+ again. I'd prefer to see Cody garbrandt get a shot over Lineker.

Cody made a twitter post saying he finishes people and make weight haha.

Very true about the weight. People assume that because he moved up from 125 that it should immediately be easier for him to make weight. Not many people know it doesn't automaticaly work like that. The biggest factor for him is his increased muscle mass since he moved up, and he seems to be finding it hard to achieve a balance whereby he can consistently make weight.

He has hit 136 for his previous 3 fights so with proper care and attention, 135 is definitely manageable for him. Its just obvious right now that he doesn't have the right people in his team to bring him through the process properly.

 

[Shiroslullaby]

Great fights last night.
I actually thought Dodson won the fight with his last takedown/ grappling attempt (even though I bet on Lineker and was super surprised he won)
but it was REALLY close.
Judges gave points to Lineker for keeping up the pressure non-stop.

The best fight IMO was the Andre Fili/ Hacran Dias fight.
Fili was moving like Muhammad Ali in the ring, and had some great takedown defense/ grappling moves against a guy who I thought would be a better wrestler.

Really good card overall. I can't wait until next week. Looking forward to see if Vitor Belfort and Dan Henderson can still throw down, or if they are at the end of their careers.
I've been watching UFC since the beginning and those two guys are legends, but the new generation of fighters are just so amazing...

 

[underdog140]

http://rough.asia/analysis/road-fcs-us1-million-lightweight-tournament-takes-shape/

Road Fighting Championship has been flirting with the idea of a US$1 million dollar tournament for the better part of a year.

Interestingly, the Korean promotion said it sent a special invitation to UFC interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo. The disgruntled Brazilian has been unhappy with his situation with the UFC and asked for the immediate termination of his contract or he will retire.

 

[OzExorcist]

LOL - that's smart on their part!

Chances of the UFC releasing Aldo or giving him permission to go fight for Road FC are *math math math* exactly 0%

But because they dropped Aldo's name and it's a quiet news week some places will report this "story", and now the number of people outside of Korea who know that Road FC even exists must be up into the high dozens!

 

[underdog140]

Your math looks spot on.

 

[Sil3ntness]

I'm currently in Korea and I forgot that they even have a Road FC. LOL so bad... then again I never watch TV. (Only UFC )